trillion

noun

tril·​lion ˈtri(l)-yən 

1

: a number equal to 1,000 times one billion see Table of Numbers

2

: an indeterminately large number

a trillion mosquitoes out tonight

trillion adjective

trillionth

ˈtri(l)-yən(t)th 

adjective or noun

Examples of trillion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

A couple of years earlier, consultant company McKinsey forecast AI will add trillions to the global economy, while emphasizing job losses can be mitigated by training workers to do new things. —Christos Makridis, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026

Taking our Solar System as a proxy for what’s out there in the galaxy and the rest of the Universe, there are likely tens of trillions of bodies in hydrostatic equilibrium, at least, across the entirety of the Milky Way. —Big Think, 14 Apr. 2026

That means trillions of dollars in healthcare spending are tied to conditions that are, in many cases, preventable or manageable through diet and lifestyle. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026

An effective teacher must navigate trillions of distinct learning pathways to comprehension—in real time, for 20 or 30 kids at once. —Philip Moyer, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from tri- + -illion (as in million)

First Known Use

1745, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trillion

• billion
• million
• pillion
• castilian
• civilian
• cotillion
• pavilion
• postilion
• quadrillion
• reptilian
• vermilion
• vermillion

Kids Definition

trillion

noun

tril·​lion ˈtril-yən 

1

: a number equal to 1,000 times one billion see number

2

: a very large number

a trillion mosquitoes out tonight

trillion adjective

trillionth

-yən(t)th 

adjective

trillionth noun